Jasper Mocke renews his "Doctor's degree" in Perth (Australia)

Great aerial view after the start. Photo: John O'Sullivan

The Mocke brothers, in their usual Australian tour during January, managed to claim the top two spots in The Doctor, the second race of the Surfski World Series 2014, after the Mandurrah Cup won by Jasper Mocke a week ago. And again the youngest of the brothers claimed a tough race on the blue waters of Perth.

On a perfect day for the surfski, no more and no less than 330 boats gathered in Rottnest Island to face the 27 km. of downwind to the finish line in Sorrento Beach. Among them, 46 SUP (Stand Up Paddle), booming discipline in the last years.

The massive start was hectic until the first turn of the race, before facing the open sea. The Australian Cory Hill ...

Balboa and Guerrero inherit the throne at Río Negro. Quiñanao dominated the K1

Left to right: Guerrero, Balboa, Pérez and Scalesi. Photo: Official web

If days 3 and 4 represented a turn upside down in the K2 standings at Río Negro Regatta, no less were the last two stages arriving to Viedma, final destination of the great Argentinian race. On the final day, the very young Franco Balboa and José Luis Guerrero claimed the overall victory, inheriting the throne left by Pinta and Mozzicafredo after having escorted them last year in the twelfth crown of the former kings of the regatta.

On the other hand, the misfortune came to Santiago Scalesi and Spanish Luis Amado Pérez, who were leaders until the last day, but saw how the final victory eluded them a few kilometers from the finish line.

On day 5, from San Javier to Viedma (34 km.)...

Río Negro Regatta: Scalesi and Pérez turn the race upside down after change of starting rules

Santiago Scalesi and Luis Amado Pérez, new leaders. Photo: lmneuquen.com.ar

On the last two days were held in Argentina the third and fourth stages of the Río Negro Regatta, from Choele Choel to Luis Beltran (38 km.) and Don Andrés to General Conesa (43 km.). And there has been a very big change in the K2 races due to the incidents in the front bunch on the first two stages. To avoid them, the officials decided that the Senior Men K2 would startone by one every 30 seconds, in a controverted decision that could change completely the pace of the race. As it finally did.

The lucky draw set Juan Manuel Scalesi and Julian Algañaraz to start first, while Santiago Scalesi and Luis Amado went 30 seconds later. It wasn't long before they joined together to pull forward. Behind,  Balboa and Guerrero started on sixth position, so there were three other theoretically slower boats ahead that could be their reference to reach the Scalesis. And in fact, at half race they were pulling of a second group after the leading duo.

Balboa and Guerrero set the first Stone at Río Negro Regatta

Balboa and Guerrero lead the race after Day 2. Photo: rionegro.com.ar

Last Saturday, a new edition of the Río Negro Regatta (ARG) started with the first stage between Neuquen and General Roca, of 46 km. With the withdrawal of the Río Negro kings, Néstor Pinta and Martín Mozzicafredo, after their 12th victory on a row in 2013, several couples aim this year to sit on their empty throne.

With the usual heat (races start at 3PM) and a slightly shallower river than in former editions, paddlers must take care of their strenght if the want to go all the way down through the Patagonia until arriving in Viedma next saturday. In fact, after two stages, times are about 15 minutes higher than last year over the same course.

There were five couples commanding the race in K2 from the start of Day 1: Franco Balboa and José Guerrero, Santiago Scalesi and Luis Amado Pérez (ESP), Agustín Reyes and Guillermo di Renzo, Juan Manuel Scalesi and Julián Algañaraz and, finally, brothers Mauricio and Rodrigo Caffa.